Expectations and pictures of the future are just as fateful for any human system, whether an individual, organization, community, or even a whole culture.
In his sweeping study of Western civilization, the Dutch sociologist and business leader Frederick Polak argues that the image we hold of the future is the single most important factor in understanding the evolution of society.
"The rise and fall of images of the future precedes or accompanies the rise and fall of cultures," Polak writes. "As long as a society's image is positive and flourishing, the flower of culture is in full bloom. Once the image begins to decay and lose its vitality, however, the culture does not long survive."
In a similar vein, the ancient wisdom of the Old Testament holds that "Where there is no vision, the people perish."
Anthropologists have found this to be literally true. Certain societies have actually given up and allowed themselves to die when their images of the future have become too bleak. The depopulation of Melanesia early in the nineteenth century, as well as the loss of interest by the Marquesan Islanders in having children, are two examples. "In the second case it appears that the islanders simply gave up when, in the face of inroads from white traders and missionaries, everything that gave them hope and a sense of value was eroded," writes cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker.
Today's popular wisdom is that "vision" is contained in some official statement created and handed down by a designated leader, or by a small leadership group. We look to top elected leaders for a nation's vision. We demand that the CEO deliver vision to an organization.
Leaders certainly can influence the image of the future held by the people they lead, as Churchill did in 1940. But the guiding image I'm talking about here is much more than the proclamations of a single leader, however powerful or charismatic. It's the picture of tomorrow that is shaped in everyday conversations and relationships among the people in the system. Our belief about what is possible develops around the water cooler, rather than solely in the board room. It's created in the dialogue that constantly runs through the circle of people who will bring the vision to life.
The quality of this dialogue, these everyday conversations, is crucial to the future. Those seemingly insignificant exchanges add up. They determine whether our collective guiding image is vibrant and alive, or tired and listless.
We've arrived at a conclusion that may seem surprising: the words we speak each day, often without thought, can be of historic import. "Just talking" in an intentional and thoughtful way, fully aware of the power of our words, may be the most revolutionary activity we can pursue.